Talk by Palmer DeLong to a Water Development and Environment Class

( University of Utah
Dr. Raskin f s Class
in
water Development and the Environment
May 11, 1972
Talk by
Palmer B. DeLong
I am pleased. to meet with you today and I appreciate the invitation
extended to me by Dr., Raskin to talk to you about the Central Utah
Project.
I am always happy to explain this project because of its inq>ortance
to the people of Utah. It is the most logical means available of
providing sufficient water supplies to the areas of the State where
the need. exists.
In describing the Central Utah Project, I would like to place
en:v;>hasis on the environmental impacts it will create. I am aware
that the terms "Environment and Pollution" have recent~ catapulted.
into national significance and I realize their 1n:v;>ortance. Pollution
has become a serioue threat to our well .. being as well as to our future
generations. So it is imperative that our environment be safeguarded
and our natural resources used w1se~ and ettect1ve~, it this world
is to become a better place in which to live.
As an engineer, I am personall;y convinced that water resource
development and environmental protection are compatible. We must have
both" naterial progress am environmental quality without sacrificing
one for the other. 'lhe barren desert wastes of our arid West have
been changed primarily by water resource developments into prosperous
communities surrounded by lush productive farm lands. Our good life
didn't just happen.
'lh1nk1ng peop~e do not want to return to candle power and horse
and buggy days but would rather keep our mod.ernconveniences and
continue to move ahead -.. not retrogress.
A good environment is not one in which man does nothing to
change nature but one in which man works with nature. Conservation
means development as much as it does protection. Nature uncontrolled
can become the greatest destructor of' the natural environment. An
exaII!P1e of this is an uncontrolled river which in flood stages is a
vicious destroyer and ie useless in drought when need for the water
is greatest.
The principal objective of' the Central utah Project 1s to prov1de
2
the large amounts of additional water for several different purposes
to Utah where it is Vitally needed; and at the same time, where possible
to enhance the local environment, or in any event to cause a reasonable
minimum adverse effect. We deSire a good life for our people in a
quall ty environment.
Several slides have been prepared to assist in the explanation
of the proJect plan and Will also hel,p in understanding the environ-mental
procedures. I would like to show them to you now.
Slide Presentation
1. 1be Central utah Project is being constructed by the Bureau
of Reclamation to conserve water for beneficial use in Utah.
2. W:1ter is one of the most in:portant elements known to man.
It is eElsential for growing food, for producing the elementary goods
of life, and for life i tseU • Indeed, we may say, our dependence
upon water is absolute.
3. In our area most of our water supply comes from the snow
pack~ which forms in the nearby mountains. 'lhese streams normally
carry an abundance of water during the spring runoff, then dwindle
to a relative trickle in the late summer season.
3
\
'\
4. Orig1na~, the Bureau of Recl.amt1on projects were con ..
structed pr1narily for irrigation,. Bureau responsibilities have been
substantially increased by Congress from just irrigation to a multi ..
purpose program of development of water supplies. 'lhe Central. utah
Project will develop water for fish and wildlife; municipal and
industrial. purposes, irrigation, hydroelectric power, flood control,
water quality control, and recreation.
5.. 'lhe annual. c~rative stream flow in utah is shown here in
blue. We see the Colorado River carries the bulk of the stream flow
of the State. 'lherefore, we are vitally interested in the flow of
that river as a source of additional. water supply. vater has been
a key factor in shaping Utah's history and it will play an even
greater role in the future. 'lhere is an urgent need to expedite the
development of our limited water resources to meet our present and
future requirements.
6. Utah's allotted share of the Upper Colorado River water is
23 percent and at present, we are using only about half of this
share.
4
7" A large percentage of the runoff' water or1g1n.at1ng in the
Uinta ~unta1ns flows into the Green River and thence into the
Colorado and out of the State not to be used by Utahns. ~e Central.
utah Project will harness part of these waters for beneficial use in
Utah bef'ore they flow out of reach·.
8. 1b1s proj ect will proVide Utah the apportuni ty to use much
of her share of Colorado River water. To facilitate pla.nning and
construction, the Central utah Project bas been divided into six
separate units: Jensen" Vernal, U1ntah, lJ.palco, Bonneville, and
ute Indian Units. 'lhe est:tma.ted cost of the Central Utah Project
will probably exceed one bUllon dollars.
9.. ~e Colorado River Storage Project Act of' 1956 authorized
the Jensen" Vernal, ~co and Bonneville Units for construction
10. ~e Vernal Unit is completed and water ws first delivered
in 1962. Flows of Ashley Creek are diverted at Fort ~ornburgh
Diversion Dam through the Steinaker Feeder canal to the ste1naker
ReServoir about 3 miles north of Vernal..
5
11. Boating, picnicking, and fishing facilities provide s1gn1-
ficant recreational qpportun1ties at this pqpular Ste1naker Reservoir.
~e 39,000 acre-foot reservoir bas about 5,000 acre-feet of m1n.imllm
storage reserved for fish an:l wildl11'e enhancement. About 38,000
people vis! ted Steinaker Reservoir last year.
12. Ianda of Ashley Valley that previous~ suffered water
shortages practically every year are now assured a full water supply
resulting in an iq>roved cropping pattern and an increased production.
Domestic water is also provided. for use in Ashley Valley. Th.e local
people are delighted with this project.
13. tJ.palcO Unit construction bas not yet begun. '!he 18,000
acre-foot ~skeech Reservoir on lake Fork River will store water for
supplemental irrigation of appraxi.ul1tely 43,000 acres of Indian and
non-In.d.ian land. Boneta Diversion Dam on Ye1.lo'W'Stane River will
divert storable flows through 'Daskeech Feeder Canal to 'lB.skeech
Reservoir.
14. Taskeech Reservoir will be located at thiS Site, about 6
6
miles downstream from the existing M:>on Iake Dam. Minimum stream
flows for fishery use will be ne.1ntained at 30 second .. :feet in !ake
Fork .Rj.vel" between Moon Take Dam and laskeech ReservOir, aDd at 25
secondwfeet in Yellowstone River below Boneta Diversion Dam.
15. 'lhis artist' s concept shoW'S Taskeech Dam and Reservoir.
A conservation pool of 12.1400 acre .. feet will be provided for fish
and wildlive. Fourteen mountain reservoirs will be stabilized for
fishery and recreation puxposes and their storage capacity trans-ferred
to Taskeecb Reservoir.lJ:he existing Twin Potts Reservoir will
be stabilized am operated by the Ute 'l'ribe for recreational
purposes.
14. Jensen Unit is to be constructed in Uintah County near
Vernal. 'lhe 26,000 acre-foot ~ack Reservoir on Brush Creek will
store water for municipal and industrial use in the Ashley Valley
area. About 2,000 aCl"e ... feet will be proVided in the inactive storage
pool for fish and wildlife conservation.
17. The Uintah Unit was authorized for construction with the
7
Colorado River Basin Act of 1968. IoIlter stored in the V4literocks
and Uinta Reservoirs will increase the irrigation supply for about
53,000 acres of Indian and non-Indian land.
18. 'ntis artist I s concept shows the V4l1 terocks IBm and. Reser-voir
With a ~city of 32,000 acre-feet of which 6,000 acre-feet
will be reserved as a conservation pOOl for fish and w1ldl1fe
purposes.
19. lilis 47,000 acre-foot Uinta. Reservoir will contain l2,000
acre-feet in inactive storage capacity for fish and recreation
use. Th.irteen small ~Btream reservoirs will be stabilized for
recreation and fish and. wildlife and their capacity will be trans-ferred
to the two new reservoirs ~ Recreational facilities will be
provided at both reservoirs and a minimum flow of 15 second-feet will
be maintained belOW' Uinta Resel"Voir am. 7 second-feet be1.ow \obiterocks
R-:serv01r.
20. 'lbe Ute :tndian Un! t could have sign1t'icant 1ni>act on the
we. tel' supplies of all of utah. Two maj or aqueducts will be the
8
./
principle features. Flaming Gorge Aqueduct will divert Green River
water from Flaming Gorge Reservoir for use in the Uinta Basin. 'lhe
Uinta Aqueduct will collect water from Uinta Basin streBlllS for diver-sion
to the vasatch Front. 'lhis unit is current~ under investiga-tion.
21. 'lhe Bonneville Unit is the largest and the most conxprehensive
of the four in! tially authorized un! ts • It inclues developments in
both the Uintah and Bonneville Basins and a substantial diversion of
water from the Uinta Basin to the BonneviUe Basin.
22. Featurel3 located in the Uinta Basin are shown here. Straw-berry
Aqueduct Will divert water from several streams that flow down
the south slopes of the Uinta Mountains and Wi.ll convey the water to
the enlarged Strawberry Reservoir. Upper stillw. ter and Currant Creek
Reservoirs will store water along the strawberry Aqueduct. water
stored in starvation Reservoir will replace some water for present
rights that will be diverted to the Bonneville Basin and will also
provide add! tional water for supplemental irrigation in the vicinity
of Duchesne.
9
23. Starvation IBm. was constructed at this site on strawberry
River about 3 miles upstream from Duchesne. ~s is the 1'1rst feature
of the Bonneville Unit to be constructed.
24. ~e 155 toot-high Starvation IBm. is complete and the
reservoir was first filled in June 1971. About 15,000 acre-teet of
inactive capacity is reserved in the reservoir for recreation, fish
and wildl1fe enhancement. ~1s reservoir proved to be a bigbly
popular recreational spot in 1971 with about 60,000 visitations. With
the completion ot a new access road and ~roved recreational tacil-ities,
now underway by the National Park Service, public use is
expected to increase substantially in the next tew years.
25. Duchesne River ccm.tributes most ot the storage water to
Starvation Reservoir. Iilter:f':rom Duchesne River is diverted at this
completed Knight Diversion Dam.
26. utah • s longest bridge was constructed to span an arm of the
starvation Reservoir. ~e 1,636 foot-long Starvation Bridge is part
of the relocation of Highway 40 completed by the State Highway Depart-ment,
at project cost.
10
27. 'lhe It.mile-long Water Hollow Tunnel 18 the first section of
the Strawberry Aqueduct to be constructed. ~e 37 mile ... long aqueduct
beginning at Rock Creek 'W'1.1l conei~t of about 29 miles of tunnels and
the balance in pipeline. Strawberry Aqueduct, entire~ enclosed in
tunnels or pipelines, will haVe a mtn1mum long·term adVerse effect on
the natural landscape.
28. Stra:wberry Aqueduct will begin at Upper Stillwater Reservoir
on Rock Creek at this site. Through negotiations 61500 acre-feet of
water was nade available annuall,y for fishery releases at Upper
Stillwater and Strawberr,y Reservoirsa About 3,500 acre-feet of
storage capacity in tJ,pper Stillwater Reservoir Will be used. to main-tain
a minimum flow of 25 second-feet in Rock Creek where it enters
Ute Tribal lands, except in real dry years when a stream equal to the
total flow of Rock Creek Will be released. Th.e remaining 3,000 acre ..
feet will be available for release from Strawberry Reservoir to
augment the flows in Strawberry River below Soldier Creek Dam.
29. None of the intercepted streams Will be entirely dewatered.
M1n1nn.un flows Will con.e1st of seepage past the diversion or storage
u
structures; spillS during high runoff periods; releases for down ..
stream rightsJ fishery lbypasses; and :tnf'lows begjnn:ing 1mmedlate~
below the points of diversion. Until the Strawberry Aqueduct features
are compJ.eted am in operation, the :flows actually available immed1ate~
downstream from the structures will not be known. Hence, the total
effect on the stream fishery cannot be aesesaed at this time. Adverse
effects on fisheries may be reduced considerably through a reasonable
and intelligent operation of the Strawberry Aqueduct system.
30. upper stillwater ReservOir shown in this artist's rendition
will have a total capacity of 29,500 acre-feet with 2,900 acre-feet
inactive for fishery use. In operation, this reservoir will remain
fUll during the recreation season.
31. Currant Creek Reservoir seen in this artist's concept could
becOll1e one of' Utah's most papular recreation sites. 14,500 acre .. feet
C'-~
of the total. l5,500llcapacity will. be inactive. lli1.s reservoir will
have outstanding fishing aDd recreation potential because of its
attractive mountain setting, favorable shoreline for development, and
a nax1mum drawdown of only 4 feet.
12
32. ~e Forest Serv1ce is planning extensive recreational.
facilities at CUrrant Creek Reservoir. Plans call for new a~grounds
to accommodate 250 individual famil.Y units, prov1ding nany hours of
recreational enjoyment. Additional recreational facUities will
include picnic areas, a boat launch:iIlg :ran'.lP" roads, and water and
sanitary facillties, and it is w1thin easy canmuting distance of the
heavil.Y populated part of Utah.
33 • Soldier Creek Dam is now being constructed on Strawberry
River at this site, about 7 miles downstream from the existing Straw-berry
Dam. Embankment and riprap for this and the other dams of the
project will be obtained where possible :f'rom the reservoir 'basins
below the minimum water surface. ~e few borrow areas outside the
reservoir basins will be smoothed, reseeded, and restored as near as
possible to a natural state.
34. '1he Bonneville Unit includes extensive plans for recreational
facilities at this reservoir enlargement, including; marinas, boat
ra.zqps, cW!I)1ng and picnicking areas I- motels, resta\U'Snts" trailer
villages, etc. Federal. and Stat~ approved. 'Water and sanitary
13
facilities 'W'111 also be provided.
35. lliis artist t s drawingshOWl> the strawberry Reservoir En ..
largement. llle reservoir will be increased to 4 times its present
capacity and the water level will be raised about 45 feet. A 155, 000
acre-foot minimum pool will be reserved in the reservoir for fishery
purposes. TIle water surt'aoe elevation o~ this long time carryover
reservoir Will fluctuate less than 10 feet annually and the reservoir
is expected to continue to be one of the outstanding fishing facil1-
ties in the \Vest.
36. 'ilie existing substandard cabins located around Strawberry
Reservoir will be inundated by the reservoir enlargement. Project
recreational developments Will include setting aside lands for new
cabin sites. 'lhe new cabins will be attractive and will meet State
and County sanitary specifications.
37. Two separate tunnels for the outlet works are being con-structed
at Soldier Creek Dam. One is 132 feet higher than the other.
'lhe lower tunnel will divert Strawberry R1 ver during construction of
the dam. llle upper tunnel will be used to release water With higher
14
oxygen content and at optimum temperatures for fish preservation in
the river below the dam.
38. 'lhree settling ponds have been built on strawberry R1ver
below the construction area to permit sett~ement of sediment or
fore1gn objects that may be introduced by construction activities
and preserve the stream quality.
39. 'lhe balance of the BonneVille Unit features are located, in
the Bonneville Basin. ~e new Syar Tunnel will divert water from
Strawberry Reservoir through the Great Basin Divide into the Diamond
Fork power system. vater used to generate power during the non ..
irrigation season w1l1 be stored in. either Hayes Reservoir, Utah lake,
MOna Reservoir, or the existing Bevier Bridge Reservoir, fOr later use.
Provo :Bay and Goshen Bay Dikes will be constructed to reduce evapora ..
tioo losses in Utah lake ~ Project water collected in Utah lake Will
be exchanged u;pstream for Provo R:J.ver water, which will be stored in
the new Jordanelle Reservoir. water from this reservOir will be used.
prtmartl¥ to satis1"y the increased demands for nnmicipal and industrial
wa tel' along the rapidl¥ expanding vesa tch Front.
15
40. Hayes Reservoir will be located on D1amond Fork immediately
above its confluence with Spanish Fork River and will contain an
inactive pool of 8,100 acre-feet ror fish and recreation purposes. A
m1nimum stream flow of at least 75 second-feet will be maintained in
Span,.1ah Fork River between the mouth of Diamond Fork and the Strawberry
Power Canal. ']here is no fishery at present in this stretch of the
riVer.
41. ']he existing Mona Reservoir will be enlarged to about 3
times its present capacity and a 7,500 acre-foot conservation pool is
planned to facil.1tate fishing and recreation. Recreation facilities
are planned at both Hayes and Mona ReservoirS.
42. Provo Bay shown here will be separated from Utah Iake to
reduce evaporation losses. ']he 6.5 mile-long dike will exclude about
7 percent of the surface area of Utah Lake and the land in the bay ~
will be drained and reclaimed for agricultural purposes.
43. Goshen Bay, the southern arm of Utah Iake, will also be
separated from the main body to reduce evaporation losses. Goshen
Bay contains about 25 percent of the present surface area of the lake.
16
A wildllfe management area is planned. around the per1meter of Goshen
Bay. We ha,pe to work out a plan for operation of utah Lake with a
drawdown limitation of -9.3 below comprOOl1s.e level Histor1cally,
drawown to 12.0 or more has occurred_
44. Jordanelle Danl aI¥i Reservoir will be constructed. on Provo
River about 6 miles north of Heber City_ Storage water will be used
prin:J:lr1ly for municipal purposes in Utah and Salt lake Counties. An
inactive pool of about 20,000 aere·feet will be used for recreation
and fish conservation. 'lhis reservoir is situated almost in Salt lake
City' s back--yard and could be enj oyed by thousands of oi ty dwellers
for evening and weekend recreation. M:tn1mum stream flOW'S for fishery
purposes will be maintained in Provo R1ver at 50 second-feet between
JordaneUe Dam and Deer Creek Reservoir and at 60 second-feet between
Deer Creek and Murdock Divers10n IBm. we are studying the problem of
minimum flow in Provo R1 ver between Murdock and Utah lake.
45, 'lhe new Jordan Aqueduct shown under construction will
deliver municipal and industrial water to Salt lake County. It will
extend from the Point ... of-the-Mountain on the west side of the county
17
to 2100 South. Construction of the first 15 miles of the aqueduct
was begun last September. Salt lake County is bad~ in need of
additional. municipal water supplies to meet the present requirements.
46. Fourteen emil lakes on the headwaters of Provo River will
be stabilized and their capacity transferred to JordaneUe Reservoir.
'lhe sIlBll reservoirs will then be maintained at near constant water
level for recreation enhancement. ~ut1f'Ul Star Iake is one that
w1ll be stabilized.
47. Th.e Bonneville Unit will provide itqportant benefits which
nil affect nearly every citizen in utah.
48. A sigIl1f1cant amount of BonneVille Unit water will be used.
for the rapidly ~ding municipal. and industrial requirements.
Adequate water will be developed by the unit to supply the municipal
needs of one-half million people.
49. Ii1ter will also be provided for the irrigation of about
250,,000 acres of supplemental and. f'ull service land.. 'lhis is suf-f'ic~
ent water to serve the equivalent of 700 new farms of 100 acres
each" or equivalent to the present agricultural production of all of
Utah County.
50. ~e three power plants of the Diamond Fork power system w:l.ll
generate enough e~ectrical energy to supp~ the equivalent needs of a
city of 100, 000 peop~.
51. Extensive and varied recreational development will be pro-vided
by this unit. ~e water surface area of new and enlarged
reservairs will aggregate more than 25,000 acres.
52. leisure time has become a privilege of the average man, and
outdoor recreation has become a favorite method of usj"ng one I s leisure.
Central utah Project will hel;p fill an urgent de~nd for additional
recreational facilities in Utah.
53. If all of the available water in Utah were conserved and
wisely used, there would still not be enough to meet all of the State's
future needs. ~us .. it is extremely important that we jud1cious~
develop all of Utah's l1m1ted water supplies. ~e multipUIpose
Cent~ Utah Project is hel;ping to do this.
54. End.
~ank you.
(Information Folders)

Click tabs to swap between content that is broken into logical sections.

( University of Utah
Dr. Raskin f s Class
in
water Development and the Environment
May 11, 1972
Talk by
Palmer B. DeLong
I am pleased. to meet with you today and I appreciate the invitation
extended to me by Dr., Raskin to talk to you about the Central Utah
Project.
I am always happy to explain this project because of its inq>ortance
to the people of Utah. It is the most logical means available of
providing sufficient water supplies to the areas of the State where
the need. exists.
In describing the Central Utah Project, I would like to place
en:v;>hasis on the environmental impacts it will create. I am aware
that the terms "Environment and Pollution" have recent~ catapulted.
into national significance and I realize their 1n:v;>ortance. Pollution
has become a serioue threat to our well .. being as well as to our future
generations. So it is imperative that our environment be safeguarded
and our natural resources used w1se~ and ettect1ve~, it this world
is to become a better place in which to live.
As an engineer, I am personall;y convinced that water resource
development and environmental protection are compatible. We must have
both" naterial progress am environmental quality without sacrificing
one for the other. 'lhe barren desert wastes of our arid West have
been changed primarily by water resource developments into prosperous
communities surrounded by lush productive farm lands. Our good life
didn't just happen.
'lh1nk1ng peop~e do not want to return to candle power and horse
and buggy days but would rather keep our mod.ernconveniences and
continue to move ahead -.. not retrogress.
A good environment is not one in which man does nothing to
change nature but one in which man works with nature. Conservation
means development as much as it does protection. Nature uncontrolled
can become the greatest destructor of' the natural environment. An
exaII!P1e of this is an uncontrolled river which in flood stages is a
vicious destroyer and ie useless in drought when need for the water
is greatest.
The principal objective of' the Central utah Project 1s to prov1de
2
the large amounts of additional water for several different purposes
to Utah where it is Vitally needed; and at the same time, where possible
to enhance the local environment, or in any event to cause a reasonable
minimum adverse effect. We deSire a good life for our people in a
quall ty environment.
Several slides have been prepared to assist in the explanation
of the proJect plan and Will also hel,p in understanding the environ-mental
procedures. I would like to show them to you now.
Slide Presentation
1. 1be Central utah Project is being constructed by the Bureau
of Reclamation to conserve water for beneficial use in Utah.
2. W:1ter is one of the most in:portant elements known to man.
It is eElsential for growing food, for producing the elementary goods
of life, and for life i tseU • Indeed, we may say, our dependence
upon water is absolute.
3. In our area most of our water supply comes from the snow
pack~ which forms in the nearby mountains. 'lhese streams normally
carry an abundance of water during the spring runoff, then dwindle
to a relative trickle in the late summer season.
3
\
'\
4. Orig1na~, the Bureau of Recl.amt1on projects were con ..
structed pr1narily for irrigation,. Bureau responsibilities have been
substantially increased by Congress from just irrigation to a multi ..
purpose program of development of water supplies. 'lhe Central. utah
Project will develop water for fish and wildlife; municipal and
industrial. purposes, irrigation, hydroelectric power, flood control,
water quality control, and recreation.
5.. 'lhe annual. c~rative stream flow in utah is shown here in
blue. We see the Colorado River carries the bulk of the stream flow
of the State. 'lherefore, we are vitally interested in the flow of
that river as a source of additional. water supply. vater has been
a key factor in shaping Utah's history and it will play an even
greater role in the future. 'lhere is an urgent need to expedite the
development of our limited water resources to meet our present and
future requirements.
6. Utah's allotted share of the Upper Colorado River water is
23 percent and at present, we are using only about half of this
share.
4
7" A large percentage of the runoff' water or1g1n.at1ng in the
Uinta ~unta1ns flows into the Green River and thence into the
Colorado and out of the State not to be used by Utahns. ~e Central.
utah Project will harness part of these waters for beneficial use in
Utah bef'ore they flow out of reach·.
8. 1b1s proj ect will proVide Utah the apportuni ty to use much
of her share of Colorado River water. To facilitate pla.nning and
construction, the Central utah Project bas been divided into six
separate units: Jensen" Vernal, U1ntah, lJ.palco, Bonneville, and
ute Indian Units. 'lhe est:tma.ted cost of the Central Utah Project
will probably exceed one bUllon dollars.
9.. ~e Colorado River Storage Project Act of' 1956 authorized
the Jensen" Vernal, ~co and Bonneville Units for construction
10. ~e Vernal Unit is completed and water ws first delivered
in 1962. Flows of Ashley Creek are diverted at Fort ~ornburgh
Diversion Dam through the Steinaker Feeder canal to the ste1naker
ReServoir about 3 miles north of Vernal..
5
11. Boating, picnicking, and fishing facilities provide s1gn1-
ficant recreational qpportun1ties at this pqpular Ste1naker Reservoir.
~e 39,000 acre-foot reservoir bas about 5,000 acre-feet of m1n.imllm
storage reserved for fish an:l wildl11'e enhancement. About 38,000
people vis! ted Steinaker Reservoir last year.
12. Ianda of Ashley Valley that previous~ suffered water
shortages practically every year are now assured a full water supply
resulting in an iq>roved cropping pattern and an increased production.
Domestic water is also provided. for use in Ashley Valley. Th.e local
people are delighted with this project.
13. tJ.palcO Unit construction bas not yet begun. '!he 18,000
acre-foot ~skeech Reservoir on lake Fork River will store water for
supplemental irrigation of appraxi.ul1tely 43,000 acres of Indian and
non-In.d.ian land. Boneta Diversion Dam on Ye1.lo'W'Stane River will
divert storable flows through 'Daskeech Feeder Canal to 'lB.skeech
Reservoir.
14. Taskeech Reservoir will be located at thiS Site, about 6
6
miles downstream from the existing M:>on Iake Dam. Minimum stream
flows for fishery use will be ne.1ntained at 30 second .. :feet in !ake
Fork .Rj.vel" between Moon Take Dam and laskeech ReservOir, aDd at 25
secondwfeet in Yellowstone River below Boneta Diversion Dam.
15. 'lhis artist' s concept shoW'S Taskeech Dam and Reservoir.
A conservation pool of 12.1400 acre .. feet will be provided for fish
and wildlive. Fourteen mountain reservoirs will be stabilized for
fishery and recreation puxposes and their storage capacity trans-ferred
to Taskeecb Reservoir.lJ:he existing Twin Potts Reservoir will
be stabilized am operated by the Ute 'l'ribe for recreational
purposes.
14. Jensen Unit is to be constructed in Uintah County near
Vernal. 'lhe 26,000 acre-foot ~ack Reservoir on Brush Creek will
store water for municipal and industrial use in the Ashley Valley
area. About 2,000 aCl"e ... feet will be proVided in the inactive storage
pool for fish and wildlife conservation.
17. The Uintah Unit was authorized for construction with the
7
Colorado River Basin Act of 1968. IoIlter stored in the V4literocks
and Uinta Reservoirs will increase the irrigation supply for about
53,000 acres of Indian and non-Indian land.
18. 'ntis artist I s concept shows the V4l1 terocks IBm and. Reser-voir
With a ~city of 32,000 acre-feet of which 6,000 acre-feet
will be reserved as a conservation pOOl for fish and w1ldl1fe
purposes.
19. lilis 47,000 acre-foot Uinta. Reservoir will contain l2,000
acre-feet in inactive storage capacity for fish and recreation
use. Th.irteen small ~Btream reservoirs will be stabilized for
recreation and fish and. wildlife and their capacity will be trans-ferred
to the two new reservoirs ~ Recreational facilities will be
provided at both reservoirs and a minimum flow of 15 second-feet will
be maintained belOW' Uinta Resel"Voir am. 7 second-feet be1.ow \obiterocks
R-:serv01r.
20. 'lbe Ute :tndian Un! t could have sign1t'icant 1ni>act on the
we. tel' supplies of all of utah. Two maj or aqueducts will be the
8
./
principle features. Flaming Gorge Aqueduct will divert Green River
water from Flaming Gorge Reservoir for use in the Uinta Basin. 'lhe
Uinta Aqueduct will collect water from Uinta Basin streBlllS for diver-sion
to the vasatch Front. 'lhis unit is current~ under investiga-tion.
21. 'lhe Bonneville Unit is the largest and the most conxprehensive
of the four in! tially authorized un! ts • It inclues developments in
both the Uintah and Bonneville Basins and a substantial diversion of
water from the Uinta Basin to the BonneviUe Basin.
22. Featurel3 located in the Uinta Basin are shown here. Straw-berry
Aqueduct Will divert water from several streams that flow down
the south slopes of the Uinta Mountains and Wi.ll convey the water to
the enlarged Strawberry Reservoir. Upper stillw. ter and Currant Creek
Reservoirs will store water along the strawberry Aqueduct. water
stored in starvation Reservoir will replace some water for present
rights that will be diverted to the Bonneville Basin and will also
provide add! tional water for supplemental irrigation in the vicinity
of Duchesne.
9
23. Starvation IBm. was constructed at this site on strawberry
River about 3 miles upstream from Duchesne. ~s is the 1'1rst feature
of the Bonneville Unit to be constructed.
24. ~e 155 toot-high Starvation IBm. is complete and the
reservoir was first filled in June 1971. About 15,000 acre-teet of
inactive capacity is reserved in the reservoir for recreation, fish
and wildl1fe enhancement. ~1s reservoir proved to be a bigbly
popular recreational spot in 1971 with about 60,000 visitations. With
the completion ot a new access road and ~roved recreational tacil-ities,
now underway by the National Park Service, public use is
expected to increase substantially in the next tew years.
25. Duchesne River ccm.tributes most ot the storage water to
Starvation Reservoir. Iilter:f':rom Duchesne River is diverted at this
completed Knight Diversion Dam.
26. utah • s longest bridge was constructed to span an arm of the
starvation Reservoir. ~e 1,636 foot-long Starvation Bridge is part
of the relocation of Highway 40 completed by the State Highway Depart-ment,
at project cost.
10
27. 'lhe It.mile-long Water Hollow Tunnel 18 the first section of
the Strawberry Aqueduct to be constructed. ~e 37 mile ... long aqueduct
beginning at Rock Creek 'W'1.1l conei~t of about 29 miles of tunnels and
the balance in pipeline. Strawberry Aqueduct, entire~ enclosed in
tunnels or pipelines, will haVe a mtn1mum long·term adVerse effect on
the natural landscape.
28. Stra:wberry Aqueduct will begin at Upper Stillwater Reservoir
on Rock Creek at this site. Through negotiations 61500 acre-feet of
water was nade available annuall,y for fishery releases at Upper
Stillwater and Strawberr,y Reservoirsa About 3,500 acre-feet of
storage capacity in tJ,pper Stillwater Reservoir Will be used. to main-tain
a minimum flow of 25 second-feet in Rock Creek where it enters
Ute Tribal lands, except in real dry years when a stream equal to the
total flow of Rock Creek Will be released. Th.e remaining 3,000 acre ..
feet will be available for release from Strawberry Reservoir to
augment the flows in Strawberry River below Soldier Creek Dam.
29. None of the intercepted streams Will be entirely dewatered.
M1n1nn.un flows Will con.e1st of seepage past the diversion or storage
u
structures; spillS during high runoff periods; releases for down ..
stream rightsJ fishery lbypasses; and :tnf'lows begjnn:ing 1mmedlate~
below the points of diversion. Until the Strawberry Aqueduct features
are compJ.eted am in operation, the :flows actually available immed1ate~
downstream from the structures will not be known. Hence, the total
effect on the stream fishery cannot be aesesaed at this time. Adverse
effects on fisheries may be reduced considerably through a reasonable
and intelligent operation of the Strawberry Aqueduct system.
30. upper stillwater ReservOir shown in this artist's rendition
will have a total capacity of 29,500 acre-feet with 2,900 acre-feet
inactive for fishery use. In operation, this reservoir will remain
fUll during the recreation season.
31. Currant Creek Reservoir seen in this artist's concept could
becOll1e one of' Utah's most papular recreation sites. 14,500 acre .. feet
C'-~
of the total. l5,500llcapacity will. be inactive. lli1.s reservoir will
have outstanding fishing aDd recreation potential because of its
attractive mountain setting, favorable shoreline for development, and
a nax1mum drawdown of only 4 feet.
12
32. ~e Forest Serv1ce is planning extensive recreational.
facilities at CUrrant Creek Reservoir. Plans call for new a~grounds
to accommodate 250 individual famil.Y units, prov1ding nany hours of
recreational enjoyment. Additional recreational facUities will
include picnic areas, a boat launch:iIlg :ran'.lP" roads, and water and
sanitary facillties, and it is w1thin easy canmuting distance of the
heavil.Y populated part of Utah.
33 • Soldier Creek Dam is now being constructed on Strawberry
River at this site, about 7 miles downstream from the existing Straw-berry
Dam. Embankment and riprap for this and the other dams of the
project will be obtained where possible :f'rom the reservoir 'basins
below the minimum water surface. ~e few borrow areas outside the
reservoir basins will be smoothed, reseeded, and restored as near as
possible to a natural state.
34. '1he Bonneville Unit includes extensive plans for recreational
facilities at this reservoir enlargement, including; marinas, boat
ra.zqps, cW!I)1ng and picnicking areas I- motels, resta\U'Snts" trailer
villages, etc. Federal. and Stat~ approved. 'Water and sanitary
13
facilities 'W'111 also be provided.
35. lliis artist t s drawingshOWl> the strawberry Reservoir En ..
largement. llle reservoir will be increased to 4 times its present
capacity and the water level will be raised about 45 feet. A 155, 000
acre-foot minimum pool will be reserved in the reservoir for fishery
purposes. TIle water surt'aoe elevation o~ this long time carryover
reservoir Will fluctuate less than 10 feet annually and the reservoir
is expected to continue to be one of the outstanding fishing facil1-
ties in the \Vest.
36. 'ilie existing substandard cabins located around Strawberry
Reservoir will be inundated by the reservoir enlargement. Project
recreational developments Will include setting aside lands for new
cabin sites. 'lhe new cabins will be attractive and will meet State
and County sanitary specifications.
37. Two separate tunnels for the outlet works are being con-structed
at Soldier Creek Dam. One is 132 feet higher than the other.
'lhe lower tunnel will divert Strawberry R1 ver during construction of
the dam. llle upper tunnel will be used to release water With higher
14
oxygen content and at optimum temperatures for fish preservation in
the river below the dam.
38. 'lhree settling ponds have been built on strawberry R1ver
below the construction area to permit sett~ement of sediment or
fore1gn objects that may be introduced by construction activities
and preserve the stream quality.
39. 'lhe balance of the BonneVille Unit features are located, in
the Bonneville Basin. ~e new Syar Tunnel will divert water from
Strawberry Reservoir through the Great Basin Divide into the Diamond
Fork power system. vater used to generate power during the non ..
irrigation season w1l1 be stored in. either Hayes Reservoir, Utah lake,
MOna Reservoir, or the existing Bevier Bridge Reservoir, fOr later use.
Provo :Bay and Goshen Bay Dikes will be constructed to reduce evapora ..
tioo losses in Utah lake ~ Project water collected in Utah lake Will
be exchanged u;pstream for Provo R:J.ver water, which will be stored in
the new Jordanelle Reservoir. water from this reservOir will be used.
prtmartl¥ to satis1"y the increased demands for nnmicipal and industrial
wa tel' along the rapidl¥ expanding vesa tch Front.
15
40. Hayes Reservoir will be located on D1amond Fork immediately
above its confluence with Spanish Fork River and will contain an
inactive pool of 8,100 acre-feet ror fish and recreation purposes. A
m1nimum stream flow of at least 75 second-feet will be maintained in
Span,.1ah Fork River between the mouth of Diamond Fork and the Strawberry
Power Canal. ']here is no fishery at present in this stretch of the
riVer.
41. ']he existing Mona Reservoir will be enlarged to about 3
times its present capacity and a 7,500 acre-foot conservation pool is
planned to facil.1tate fishing and recreation. Recreation facilities
are planned at both Hayes and Mona ReservoirS.
42. Provo Bay shown here will be separated from Utah Iake to
reduce evaporation losses. ']he 6.5 mile-long dike will exclude about
7 percent of the surface area of Utah Lake and the land in the bay ~
will be drained and reclaimed for agricultural purposes.
43. Goshen Bay, the southern arm of Utah Iake, will also be
separated from the main body to reduce evaporation losses. Goshen
Bay contains about 25 percent of the present surface area of the lake.
16
A wildllfe management area is planned. around the per1meter of Goshen
Bay. We ha,pe to work out a plan for operation of utah Lake with a
drawdown limitation of -9.3 below comprOOl1s.e level Histor1cally,
drawown to 12.0 or more has occurred_
44. Jordanelle Danl aI¥i Reservoir will be constructed. on Provo
River about 6 miles north of Heber City_ Storage water will be used
prin:J:lr1ly for municipal purposes in Utah and Salt lake Counties. An
inactive pool of about 20,000 aere·feet will be used for recreation
and fish conservation. 'lhis reservoir is situated almost in Salt lake
City' s back--yard and could be enj oyed by thousands of oi ty dwellers
for evening and weekend recreation. M:tn1mum stream flOW'S for fishery
purposes will be maintained in Provo R1ver at 50 second-feet between
JordaneUe Dam and Deer Creek Reservoir and at 60 second-feet between
Deer Creek and Murdock Divers10n IBm. we are studying the problem of
minimum flow in Provo R1 ver between Murdock and Utah lake.
45, 'lhe new Jordan Aqueduct shown under construction will
deliver municipal and industrial water to Salt lake County. It will
extend from the Point ... of-the-Mountain on the west side of the county
17
to 2100 South. Construction of the first 15 miles of the aqueduct
was begun last September. Salt lake County is bad~ in need of
additional. municipal water supplies to meet the present requirements.
46. Fourteen emil lakes on the headwaters of Provo River will
be stabilized and their capacity transferred to JordaneUe Reservoir.
'lhe sIlBll reservoirs will then be maintained at near constant water
level for recreation enhancement. ~ut1f'Ul Star Iake is one that
w1ll be stabilized.
47. Th.e Bonneville Unit will provide itqportant benefits which
nil affect nearly every citizen in utah.
48. A sigIl1f1cant amount of BonneVille Unit water will be used.
for the rapidly ~ding municipal. and industrial requirements.
Adequate water will be developed by the unit to supply the municipal
needs of one-half million people.
49. Ii1ter will also be provided for the irrigation of about
250,,000 acres of supplemental and. f'ull service land.. 'lhis is suf-f'ic~
ent water to serve the equivalent of 700 new farms of 100 acres
each" or equivalent to the present agricultural production of all of
Utah County.
50. ~e three power plants of the Diamond Fork power system w:l.ll
generate enough e~ectrical energy to supp~ the equivalent needs of a
city of 100, 000 peop~.
51. Extensive and varied recreational development will be pro-vided
by this unit. ~e water surface area of new and enlarged
reservairs will aggregate more than 25,000 acres.
52. leisure time has become a privilege of the average man, and
outdoor recreation has become a favorite method of usj"ng one I s leisure.
Central utah Project will hel;p fill an urgent de~nd for additional
recreational facilities in Utah.
53. If all of the available water in Utah were conserved and
wisely used, there would still not be enough to meet all of the State's
future needs. ~us .. it is extremely important that we jud1cious~
develop all of Utah's l1m1ted water supplies. ~e multipUIpose
Cent~ Utah Project is hel;ping to do this.
54. End.
~ank you.
(Information Folders)